Asteroid City is a 2023 American science fiction comedy-drama film that Wes Anderson wrote, directed, and produced, based on a story he crafted with Roman Coppola. The narrative primarily unfolds as a stage play set in a retro futuristic 1955, centering around a Junior Stargazer convention and the surprising arrival of extraterrestrials and UFOs in the titular town located in the American Southwestern desert, near atomic test sites established post-World War II. With a production budget of $25 million, Asteroid City has successfully grossed $54 million globally at Box Office, and has garnered mostly favorable reviews from critics.
This play is further contextualized through a television documentary that chronicles the show’s creation, adding a fascinating layer of metatextuality. The project was first announced in September 2020 as an unnamed romance film, with Anderson taking on the roles of writer, producer, and director, alongside Jeremy Dawson from American Empirical Pictures and Steven Rales from Indian Paintbrush.
By February 2021, it was characterized as revolving around a “group of brainy teenagers.” Although initially intended to be filmed in Rome, production occurred in Chinchón, Spain, from August to October 2021, with cinematography by Robert D. Yeoman.
The production utilized several sets designed to mimic a desert landscape and a mock train station. In post-production, editor Barney Pilling worked alongside composer Alexandre Desplat, who frequently collaborates with Anderson, to create a musical score that includes country and western songs from various artists.
The official title, Asteroid City, was unveiled in October 2021 during the BFI London Film Festival. Asteroid City made it’s debut at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2023, where it was in the running for the prestigious Palme d’Or.
Following it’s festival premiere, the film had a limited theatrical release in the United States via Focus Features on June 16, 2023, before expanding to a broader audience just a week later.
